Prior art cosmetic compositions achieve mattification in several ways. Many are in the form of powders. Powders, however, often scatter resulting in uneven application and undesirable sternutatory effects (e.g., sneezing and eye reddening).
In response to uneven application and sternutatory effects of powders, other prior art mattifying compositions took the form of non-flowable creams and created a matte appearance by delivering magnesium aluminum silicate or bentonite clays in emulsions comprising high levels of volatile alcohols. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,415,939 issued to Minton claiming a matte cosmetic cream composition with greater than 30% volatile alcohol content. In compositions of the type described by Minton, volatile alcohol quickly evaporates leaving behind mattifying ingredients. However, such compositions also have at least two significant drawbacks.
First, they often cause undesirable skin irritancy. In large part, the irritation is caused by the use of high levels of volatile alcohol, so much so that cosmetic products with high volatile alcohol content have generally fallen into disfavor among consumers and their use is now regulated in several states. Additionally, the type and levels of surfactants employed to maintain the stability of the compositions can indirectly cause irritation by disrupting the skin's outer lipid barrier, thus allowing irritants to penetrate the skin. Second, prior art emulsions comprising magnesium aluminum silicate as the mattifying ingredient often do not apply uniformly and tend to produce small splotches of residual whitening, which are aesthetically undesirable.
There has therefore long been a need for durable, cosmetic creams and lotions which can rapidly produce a uniform, matte appearance without creating irritation when applied to the skin. The emulsion of the present invention meets this need for non-irritating, non-whitening, mattifying compositions with desirable aesthetics and feel.